L.A. councilmen call on Major League Baseball to award World Series titles to Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles City Councilmen Paul Koretz and Gilbert Cedillo on Wednesday formally introduced a resolution calling on Major League Baseball to award the 2017 and 2018 World Series titles to the Dodgers in the wake of a cheating scandal that has rocked the league.

MLB concluded this week that the Astros used a camera to illicitly steal pitching signs from opponents' catchers during the 2017 season, which culminated with Houston defeating the Dodgers in the World Series.

According to the league, the sign-stealing system was orchestrated by then-Astros bench coach Alex Cora, who went on to serve as the Red Sox manager in 2018. That season ended with Boston besting the Dodgers in the Fall Classic.

Koretz acknowledged that asking the league to strip the two teams of their titles is "uncharted territory," but said that awarding the championships to Los Angeles would be a fair move in light of the cheating.

MORE: Houston Astros GM, manager fired for sign-stealing during 2017 championship season

The manager and general manager of the Houston Astros were fired Monday shortly after Major League Baseball announced their suspension for stealing signs during the team's run to the 2017 World Series.

"MLB did take it seriously by (issuing) significant suspensions, which were followed by major league clubs firing managers,'' Koretz said. "There have been scandals in the past over the century-plus that we've had Major League Baseball in this country. I'm not sure if we've had this documented an effort to steal two World Series, and we know the results.

"I think that would be an appropriate payback," he added. "I think this really besmirches the national pastime and the most historic sport in American history, and there has to be a message that this isn't allowed."

MLB initially handed down one-year suspensions for Astros' general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch, but the team quickly fired the pair. The club was also fined $5 million and ordered Houston to forfeit its first- and second-round draft picks for the next two years.

The Red Sox and Cora, who is awaiting possible punishment by the league, parted ways earlier this week following the release of the league's findings.

City News Service contributed to this report.